Sam Bennett has his first win of the season and his first since joining
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team with a brilliant sprint performance on stage 2 of the 4 Jours du Dunkerque 2024.
With a three-man breakaway of Maxime Jarnet (Van Rysel - Roubaix), Robin Plamondon (CIC U Nantes Atlantique) and Cyrus Monk (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team), the peloton somewhat surprisingly allowed the advantage to stretch out to over seven and a half minutes with 80km to go.
Heading into the final 30km though, only Monk remained out front, holding around a 1:45 advantage over the peloton. Despite the Australian battling bravely, Monk was eventually caught by the bunch with just over 9km to go.
With the preparation for the bunch sprint then taking over, it was frantic at the front of the peloton. PAscal Ackermann opened things up, Sam Bennett was perfectly on the German's wheel however and in the finale Bennett powered around to take the win ahead of Paul Penhoet and Sasha Waemaes.